Recently, a client's "contact us" form on their e-commerce site was
compromised. We fixed it within minutes, but not before AOL blacklisted
the IP. Now, despite emails to their postmaster (which go unanswered)
and signing up for their "Feedback Loop" (which, as far as I can tell,
is a useless placebo form designed to make me feel better), several
weeks have gone by, and AOL customers who order from my client's site
still can't get emails from the site.

Does anyone know how to reach a human being who actually does something
at AOL?

--
David J. Hennessy
http://maidix.com/
http://choicesolver.com/
http://davidhennessy.net/

David J. Hennessy wrote:

> Recently, a client's "contact us" form on their e-commerce site was
> compromised. We fixed it within minutes, but not before AOL blacklisted
> the IP. Now, despite emails to their postmaster (which go unanswered)
> and signing up for their "Feedback Loop" (which, as far as I can tell,
> is a useless placebo form designed to make me feel better), several
> weeks have gone by, and AOL customers who order from my client's site
> still can't get emails from the site.
>
> Does anyone know how to reach a human being who actually does something
> at AOL?


You need to apply for whitelist status:
http://postmaster.aol.com/whitelist/...st_guides.html

It was surprisingly painless when I did it.


--
Brian Wakem
Email: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/b.wakem/myemail.png

Brian Wakem wrote:

> You need to apply for whitelist status:
> http://postmaster.aol.com/whitelist/...st_guides.html
>
> It was surprisingly painless when I did it.

They won't whitelist me because I don't send enough email to AOL
addresses to establish a history of sending non-spam. One would think
that someone who sends no email would also be sending no spam. I guess
AOL can't reach that conclusion.

> They won't whitelist me because I don't send enough email to AOL
> addresses to establish a history of sending non-spam. One would think
> that someone who sends no email would also be sending no spam. I guess
> AOL can't reach that conclusion.

I'm sorry to be no help, but thanks for the chuckle. I've had a long
day and it has involved AOL as well.

Brian Wakem wrote:
> David J. Hennessy wrote:
>
>> Recently, a client's "contact us" form on their e-commerce site was
>> compromised. We fixed it within minutes, but not before AOL blacklisted
>> the IP. Now, despite emails to their postmaster (which go unanswered)
>> and signing up for their "Feedback Loop" (which, as far as I can tell,
>> is a useless placebo form designed to make me feel better), several
>> weeks have gone by, and AOL customers who order from my client's site
>> still can't get emails from the site.
>>
>> Does anyone know how to reach a human being who actually does something
>> at AOL?
>
>
> You need to apply for whitelist status:
> http://postmaster.aol.com/whitelist/...st_guides.html
>
> It was surprisingly painless when I did it.
>
>

I had looked into that earlier, unfortunately, we don't send 100 emails
to AOL a month in order to meet the minimum consideration. Apparently,
if you're not a big-time bulk mailer, they aren't interested in letting
your mail past their spam filters. Sorta seems a bit mixed-up in the
priorities department to me!

--
David J. Hennessy
http://maidix.com/
http://choicesolver.com/
http://davidhennessy.net/

In article <UNhfh.3296$it5.1596@trndny06>, David J. Hennessy wrote:
> Recently, a client's "contact us" form on their e-commerce site was
> compromised. We fixed it within minutes, but not before AOL blacklisted
> the IP. Now, despite emails to their postmaster (which go unanswered)
> and signing up for their "Feedback Loop" (which, as far as I can tell,
> is a useless placebo form designed to make me feel better), several
> weeks have gone by, and AOL customers who order from my client's site
> still can't get emails from the site.
>
> Does anyone know how to reach a human being who actually does something
> at AOL?

Their Postmaster group has a website and a 24x7 toll-free phone number.
The following URL also lists phone numbers for international
divisions of AOL.

http://postmaster.info.aol.com/contact/index.html

They also have a page where you can get information about their bounce
mesages.

You may want to consider signing up for one of their feedback loops if
you are actually sending bulk email and are interested in
deliverability.

--
Steve Sobol, Professional Geek ** Java/VB/VC/PHP/Perl ** Linux/*BSD/Windows
Victorville, California PGP:0xE3AE35ED

It's all fun and games until someone starts a bonfire in the living room.

David J. Hennessy wrote:

> Brian Wakem wrote:
>> David J. Hennessy wrote:
>>
>>> Recently, a client's "contact us" form on their e-commerce site was
>>> compromised. We fixed it within minutes, but not before AOL blacklisted
>>> the IP. Now, despite emails to their postmaster (which go unanswered)
>>> and signing up for their "Feedback Loop" (which, as far as I can tell,
>>> is a useless placebo form designed to make me feel better), several
>>> weeks have gone by, and AOL customers who order from my client's site
>>> still can't get emails from the site.
>>>
>>> Does anyone know how to reach a human being who actually does something
>>> at AOL?
>>
>>
>> You need to apply for whitelist status:
>> http://postmaster.aol.com/whitelist/...st_guides.html
>>
>> It was surprisingly painless when I did it.
>>
>>
>
> I had looked into that earlier, unfortunately, we don't send 100 emails
> to AOL a month in order to meet the minimum consideration.


Ah, I see. If you have a friend with an AOL account you could ask him if he
wouldn't mind you sending him 100 emails a month - that would get around
that problem.

I was sending over 100 per day, so they moved quite quickly for me.



--
Brian Wakem
Email: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/b.wakem/myemail.png

Brian Wakem wrote:
> David J. Hennessy wrote:
>
>> Brian Wakem wrote:
>>> David J. Hennessy wrote:
>>>
>>>> Recently, a client's "contact us" form on their e-commerce site was
>>>> compromised. We fixed it within minutes, but not before AOL blacklisted
>>>> the IP. Now, despite emails to their postmaster (which go unanswered)
>>>> and signing up for their "Feedback Loop" (which, as far as I can tell,
>>>> is a useless placebo form designed to make me feel better), several
>>>> weeks have gone by, and AOL customers who order from my client's site
>>>> still can't get emails from the site.
>>>>
>>>> Does anyone know how to reach a human being who actually does something
>>>> at AOL?
>>>
>>> You need to apply for whitelist status:
>>> http://postmaster.aol.com/whitelist/...st_guides.html
>>>
>>> It was surprisingly painless when I did it.
>>>
>>>
>> I had looked into that earlier, unfortunately, we don't send 100 emails
>> to AOL a month in order to meet the minimum consideration.
>
>
> Ah, I see. If you have a friend with an AOL account you could ask him if he
> wouldn't mind you sending him 100 emails a month - that would get around
> that problem.
>
> I was sending over 100 per day, so they moved quite quickly for me.
>
>
>

That is a fabulous idea!!

--
David J. Hennessy
http://maidix.com/
http://choicesolver.com/
http://davidhennessy.net/

"David J. Hennessy" <EMAIL REMOVED> wrote in message
news:kFifh.3010$Ft4.899@trnddc02...
> Brian Wakem wrote:
>>
>> You need to apply for whitelist status:
>> http://postmaster.aol.com/whitelist/...st_guides.html
>>
>> It was surprisingly painless when I did it.
>>
> I had looked into that earlier, unfortunately, we don't send 100 emails to
> AOL a month in order to meet the minimum consideration. Apparently, if
> you're not a big-time bulk mailer, they aren't interested in letting your
> mail past their spam filters. Sorta seems a bit mixed-up in the priorities
> department to me!

AOL handles millions of emails per hour. 100 emails a month is only 3.3 per
day on the average.

I know it sucks to have your emails not make it through, but 100 per month
isn't very much and I think thats pretty great that they are willing to even
do something for sites that generate such a minute amount of email.

I think this is just one of those "Grand Scheme of Things" situations where
you happen to be on the wrong end. Considering how many domains and
websites there are out there, its actually great to hear that they would
give consideration to a site that does just 100 emails per month... but a
line does have to be drawn somewhere, and 100 sounds reasonable.

On Mon, 11 Dec 2006 18:52:36 GMT, David J. Hennessy wrote:

> Recently, a client's "contact us" form on their e-commerce site was
> compromised. We fixed it within minutes, but not before AOL blacklisted
> the IP. Now, despite emails to their postmaster (which go unanswered)
> and signing up for their "Feedback Loop" (which, as far as I can tell,
> is a useless placebo form designed to make me feel better), several
> weeks have gone by, and AOL customers who order from my client's site
> still can't get emails from the site.
>
> Does anyone know how to reach a human being who actually does something
> at AOL?

You need to do the AOL Feedback Loop.
Then call the Postmaster with the bounce error msg.
Goes like this.
" I did the loop, how do I get off? "
***uming he/she doesn't bring up the soft music and wine thing, they will
let you know.
* AOL US Postmaster(local): 1-703-265-4670
* AOL France: 0892 02 03 04
* AOL Germany: 0 1805 313164
* AOL UK: 0870 320 2020
* AOL Puerto Rico: +1.888.265.1111
* AOL en Español (Estadas Unitas soledad): +1.800.771.7084
* All other countries: +1.703.264.1184 (This is a toll call.)

* General AOL Support: +1.800.827.6364
* AOL Broadband Support: +1.888.849.3200
* AOL for Windows Support: +1.800.827.3338
* AOL for Macintosh Support: +1.888.265.8007
* AOL Support by TTY: +1.800.759.3323